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Jäniskoski–Saunakoski Trail

—•Hiking Trails

7.1 km

Route

Description

Luontoon.fi – Jäniskoski–Saunakoski polku+

Description

The Jäniskoski–Saunakoski Trail is about 7.1 km as one point-to-point forest walk between the Jäniskoski parking area on Sevettijärventie and the Saunakoski service cluster on the Näätämöjoki in Inari, Finnish Lapland. The route sits in the Kaldoaivi wilderness backdrop and is managed as part of Metsähallitus outdoor services; for closures, terrain notes, and the published trail summary, start with the Jäniskoski–Saunakoski trail page on Luontoon.fi. Overnight visitors planning to use the rental hut should read arrival and marking details, pricing, and winter access rules on Eräluvat.fi. Lapland North Destinations gives regional context on Inari as a Sámi culture and year-round outdoor destination. Luontoon.fi describes the path as rocky and rooty in places, crossing the low Jänispäänhäntä fell with wide views, passing wetland sections, and attracting anglers along the river. Eräluvat’s directions note orange paint marks on trees and rocks for summer routing, the heaviest climbing on Jänispään häntä and toward Vanhavaara, and a careful fork near the river where the branch toward Saunakoski turns upstream while the Kuosnajoki hut branch drops downstream—easy to confuse if you are tired. At the Saunakoski end you reach Saunakoski, Vuokratupa with Saunakoski vuokratupa liiteri beside it, plus Saunakoski sauna and Saunakoski valvontatupa kuivakäymälä in the same yard cluster. For a break outdoors there are Saunakosken tulentekopaikka ja puolikota, Saunakoski Tulentekopaikka, and Saunakosken tulentekopaikka, kuivakäymälä as a dry toilet near the fire rings—read more about the bookable cabin and sauna on our place pages and check Eräluvat for reservations and hut fees. Day hikers often pair this segment with the longer Saamen polku network, which shares the same Saunakoski stopping points and continues deep into the Kaldoaivi backcountry. Allow roughly half a day for the 7 km if you are carrying a pack or photographing the rapids country.

Length & route

The trail is about 7.1 km as one point-to-point walk along the marked summer line between the Jäniskoski road parking and the Saunakoski huts and fireplaces. Eräluvat quotes roughly 7 km of walking from that parking to the rental hut, which matches this geometry. The steepest climbs lie on Jänispään häntä and toward Vanhavaara, and wetland crossings appear along the way.

Getting there

Summer directions from Metsähallitus: the marked hiking line starts at the Jäniskoski P-parking on Sevettijärventie roughly 10.4 km along the road from the Sevettijärvi bar junction toward Näätämö; when approaching from Sevettijärvi the lot is on the left. The walk to Saunakoski is about 7 km on the same track used toward Kuosnajoki until the paths split by the river—follow the upstream branch for Saunakoski. Sevettijärvi and Näätämö, each about 25 km away, are the nearest settlements with shop and fuel services. Winter access to the huts requires a snowmobile permit where rules demand it, and spring break-up can make the area hard to reach by road.

Good to know

The Saunakoski rapids on the lower Näätämöjoki are highlighted for salmon fishing; quota rules on the river mean you should verify permits before casting. Dogs must stay leashed in the reindeer herding area. The rental hut night is billed through Eräluvat with defined check-in and check-out times—the trail itself has no separate ticket.

Managed by

Inari

Official Maintenance

GPX data from: © Metsähallitus, 2024

Trail info

Either direction on the same line; most summer visitors start from the Jäniskoski parking on Sevettijärventie and finish at Saunakoski

Route direction

River

Wilderness Area

Fell / Mountain

Area

Orange paint marks on trees and rocks in summer (Metsähallitus arrival instructions for the Saunakoski hut route)

Route Signs

Dogs (On Leash)

Dogs

Open / Good Condition

Activities allowed

Hike / Walk

Activity

Terrain & conditions

7.1 km

Distance

About 3–5 hours for the full 7 km over rough ground, breaks included

Est. Time

Duckboards / Dirt

Surface

Point-to-Point, Single Track

Route Type

Light Traffic

Traffic

Partial Shade

Shade

Location

69.63506°N, 28.73314°E

Approximate location

FinlandCountry

LaplandRegion

InariCity

Hiking TrailsCategory

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Answers to your questions

Our data was researched from Inari, and other trusted sources, in March 2026. Our route / place GPX data comes from Metsähallitus / Lipas, last updated March 2026. Always check their official website for safety-critical updates.

Finland Lapland Inari Hiking TrailsJäniskoski–Saunakoski Trail